My journey as an Elder for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Zimbabwe, Harare Mission.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

"Turn it up! I love this song!"-Phineaus and Ferb "It's good to be home"-Shrek 2 "[Thursday] is Christmas, it's practically here."-How the Grinch stole Christmas "You see this face? This is a happy [missionary] face"-Gnomeo and Juliet

I love Christmas music, Disney Music and Country Music. But only two of those groups are approved for mission. So when ever I get any Christmas music I am giddy as can be, and I love getting Disney Music. I miss my good ole home town Country, but that can wait. I have been getting Christmas music as the days have gone by and I love it. I have also been getting Disney stuff as well, and will go into that latter. But when ever I hear it I want to crank it up and just enjoy it.

I got to go back to Gweru last week, the place where I was "born" for what might be the very last time, since there probably wont be another zone conference till February, and I also got to come back to Chegutu after almost a three day exchange with the District Leader. So yea, it is good to be home.

I can't wait for Thursday! Merry Christmas Adam, as my old companion Elder Sant would say, since Adam came before Eve. I am so excited to call home, and to do what ever else I will do that day. Mostly calling home is what I am looking forward to. Only a few more days.

I got my package from my parents a few days ago, let me tell ya, I am a happy missionary. Disney Music, told you I'd get to it, and Christmas music, Candy, Pez, Muffin mixes, Lemonade and Cool-Ade and Slim Jims, and a great card with a Picture of the Birth of our Savior. I love Christmas packages, nothing is better, well few things are better.

Like Baptisms. We are really coming alive with baptisms out here in Chegutu, and it will only get better as the days go by. We are anticipating three baptisms on Sunday, and there are three couples that we are hoping to marry, one from our side and two from the other side. Chegutu is doing great. The reason I wasn't able to email yesterday was because we The Chegutu Group went to Kadoma for a Christmas activity, and wouldn't you know it I forgot my camera so, yea, that sucks. But it is all recorded in my mind, where it will have to stay. But it was a really fun time, and the spirit was powerful.

My companion is doing really well, we are both looking forward to the next six weeks here in Chegutu, and we are looking forward to calling home to our loved ones. He has been a little bit sick, seems like the sudden change from super hot to nice and cold has had a negative effect on a lot of people, since it is now rainy season and has cooled off, at least a little bit.

"When others demand approval in defiance of God's commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are and which way we face."

-Lynn G Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy

"Courage is the form of every virtue at the testing point. Pilate was merciful till it became risky."

-C. S. Lewis

"Although it's been said many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you. Merry Merry Christmas to you.

In the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas we read the lines "it came without ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes or bags" and then "maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more." I testify that Christmas is found not in the packages, or the gifts, or the lights or the trees, or any of that, as nice as it is.( I did get bored and drew a Christmas tree to hang on the wall). Christmas is found in that Holy Birth that occurred 2014 years ago, or there abouts. It is about the Savior, who had such great "condensation" so as to leave His thrown on High, to "Walk upon his footstool and be like man almost" to "suffer, bleed and die" for all of us. I know He is the living son of the Living God. I know He loves us, I know He came here for all of us. And in the words of a great Christmas song "He will come again, cause He was here".

"She can't stay here this is the men's room."

"Which door, there's more then one."

"Sully just think about a few names would you? Lockness, Big Foot, the Abominable Snowman, they all got one thing in common pal, banishment."

"Jack, I'm only an elected official I can't make decisions by myself."

I love you all. May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.